The process of buying a new car can be intimidating to those that don’t have much experience with it. There is already a lot to remember before you even go to the dealership with pricing, your personal preferences, and more. To save more time and effort for yourself, you need to come up with a list of important questions to ask before you fully invest in the used car you’ve been eyeing.
It’s vital to have this list of questions set up beforehand to ensure you have all your bases covered. You don’t want to find out that the car you just bought had never been maintenance and is in worse condition than what was told to you! If you’re ready to look at new cars, check out some of our favorite questions below that we even use for ourselves!
1. Has the Car Been in Any Accidents?
Even if a used car gets fixed and there are no external signs of damage, that doesn’t mean that its shape is as great internally. You’ll want to make sure you get this question answered early on because it can help you determine the true condition and worth of a vehicle. If you go to a dealership, your sales associate will be able to provide you with a CARFAX report that you can look over. If you’re trying to buy a car from a private seller and they aren’t being clear or aren’t answering all your questions, you can access this information also by running your own report on the CARFAX website.
2. How Often was the Car Maintenance?
Regular maintenance is extremely important for any car, which is why you’ll need to ask for service records or receipts. With them, you’ll be able to see how the car was treated, what had been consistently fixed, and if mechanics had any recommendations for other issues.
Remember: some people may do maintenance themselves, which means that you’ll have to go see a car in person before making a final decision. Ultimately, a seller that knows they took care of a car to the best of their ability won’t be afraid to be honest about it.
3. What Features Don’t Work?
If you will be buying an older car, you’ll have to expect that there will be some feature issues such as blown out speakers or radio buttons that aren’t working. Knowing this information early on will prevent any disappointment and you can start planning accordingly on what you want to fix first. If you find that your potential car has bigger issues, such as weak air conditioning or automatic windows that are stuck, and you know that you won’t be able to fix these, asking this question will have saved you from buying a lemon!
4. What is the Ownership History?
An honest seller will have the title, all necessary documents, and the keys ready to hand over to you if they have nothing to hide. If the dealership or private seller you’re trying to buy a used car from isn’t being straightforward, this could indicate that not only could the car have recurring issues, but it may have also been passed from owner to owner without proper care or maintenance.
There have also been cases of people selling cars illegally, with liens, or that didn’t belong to them at all. Seeing that the car has a clean title, and a clear record of ownership will prevent you into getting into additional problems that will only lead you to getting the car taken away and making your life harder.
5. Are you Willing to Negotiate?
Sometimes, it can be tough to know where a seller got their price from so do your research first. You’ll want to consider any accidents, broken features, mileage, car age, and more to make sure that you’re getting the best deal. By knowing everything about the car also, you can build your case to negotiate prices. For example, if you know that a 1999 Ford Truck you found on Craigslist with 90,000 miles is being overpriced by $5,000, don’t be afraid to point this out to the seller and try to talk them down a bit to a place where you both can benefit.
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